Playoff game and empty stadium????

[OldSchool]

ESPN app uses vivid seats, which I think can be resold, but it says there are about 7400 tickets available.

Not too bad with 5 days to go.

Clearly a number to justify all the freaking out people are doing in this thread

 

[99Balloons]

There are a lot of other teams' transplants from out-of-state living in So. Cal. that are filling the Coliseum. The Rams are on the up-and-up and the legions of followers will grow until the stadium are filled with more Rams fans than opposing teams fans. When the Rams win every year, the Rams fans will outnumber the other teams fans.

 

[RedRam]

Cmon...there are some of us !!!!

Not where my seats are. I've only been able to reach another Rams fan for a high five twice this season. And I've got some decent wingspan...

 

[EastRam]

Non Issue, last year they came in droves and next year they will too....Takes time, but soon with the new Venue McVay and the Rams will be the hottest ticket in tinsel town and even our own @LesBaker will be in attendance at ringside.

Nah. Doesn't take time. A lot of teams have moved and sold out for years before the team that moved to the new city was a winner.

 

[Mackeyser]

I expected this would happen.

I was a season ticket holder back when the Rams left for StL, and thought the NFL was crazy to leave this market. Sure, they talked about using LA as a threat to get other owners sweet stadium deals, etc, but alienating LA seemed like a bullet to the foot. If you remember the owner arguments against leaving (before they folded when the hooker kicked in her dead hubby's blood money), they focused around the potentially irreparable damage to the market.

By the way, I also thought they'd put a new team in LA within a few years. Clearly, I was wrong about the last part.

But on the damage caused by leaving LA, I am perplexed how there is any confusion regarding LA attendance. How can the owners be confused/disappointed about attendance? Baffling. It's like you leave your wife to be with your hottie secretary, who turns out to be crazy. You really think you're just gonna show up at your ex's door and all will be forgiven? Pompous fools.

With that in mind, I never thought we'd be this entertaining in the only the 2nd year back. To make the playoffs already should help what would have been a gradual acceptance process. I'm sure the local demand for tickets will reflect what other successful teams are seeing. It will just take time.

Side note: If they continue to try to use the team as an ATM (PSLs for $100-200K? really?), it may take decades.

GO RAMS!!

Actually, LA won a franchise team. However, the LA Coliseum Commission was SO TOXIC, that they NFL re-awarded the franchise to Houston and we now have the Texans because Bob McNair was patient, stable and wasn't toxic.

I dunno if the Coliseum Commission is still a thing, but they used to (or seemed to) have exclusive negotiating rights with the NFL for an LA franchise and it's part of why even billionaires couldn't just build a place with their own money (how stupid is that?).

So, if the LA Coliseum commission weren't a bunch of toxic douchebags, LA would have had an expansion team for years.

I'm thrilled that our Rams are doing well, I feel bad for both LA fans (of which I used to be one) and St. Louis fans because ownership was really crappy to the fans.

It's part of the reason I don't buy any NFL licensed gear. If it was mostly about putting money in the pockets of players and/or the company making the gear, I'd be more supportive, but giving most of it to the owners? Yeah...no.

I don't mean to go on, but I know a lot of people don't know that LA actually won an expansion team only to lose it to Houston. That's how screwed up it was. The NFL wanted a team in LA so badly, the city was granted a franchise WITHOUT a stadium plan and WITHOUT a defined ownership group. Never happened like that before or since and even then, the Coliseum Commission found a way to screw it up.

 

[Mackeyser]

Oh, if I was still in LA, you can bet I'd be finding a way to attend the game.

Second longest streak away from the playoffs outside of the Bills? Oh yeah, I'd be there... port-a-potties, baking in the sun and all.

 

[Mackeyser]

Got a new little one at home, so no game for me

Excuses aside....tickets are the cheap part. Concessions and parking kill it for the average fan.

It's the POS Coliseum. You take a Lyft there and back and don't buy concessions. Set up a pickup spot a block or so away to make drop off/pick up easier. Granted, I'm not a drinker, but I'm sure people can go 3 hours without a beer or food while watching the Rams wax the Falcons.

 

[LesBaker]

Non Issue, last year they came in droves and next year they will too....Takes time, but soon with the new Venue McVay and the Rams will be the hottest ticket in tinsel town and even our own @LesBaker will be in attendance at ringside.

Halfway through the season they stopped though Den. Winning is the only thing that brings anything other than diehard fans these days.

Based on what I've seen at the Coliseum on game days I'd have to agree. The LA area seems to have fans of every team except the Rams. Well, at least fans that'll buy tickets AND show up for the game.

You should see Tampa or Miami on gameday..............

When the Rams win every year, the Rams fans will outnumber the other teams fans.

Probably but that depends on the ticket brokers and if it's a "hot ticket" they will suck up as many as they can, jack up the price and sell them to opposing teams fans at a very nice profit.

So, if the LA Coliseum commission weren't a bunch of toxic douchebags, LA would have had an expansion team for years.

The LA area wasn't going to get a team until an owner built a stadium. The state and local govt wasn't going to do it, the people of SOCAL didn't want to fund it, and the two companies that offered to do it wouldn't do it without a guarantee that a team was coming. It was more than just the Commission..........it was an impasse.

 

[RedRam]

You should see Tampa or Miami on gameday..............

Where do they stash all of the walkers?

 

[bubbaramfan]

Just checked out what seats were available at vividseats. Looks like I'll be watching the game from my Barco-Lounger. I'm not paying 100$ bucks to watch the game from an end zone nose bleed seat.

 

[LesBaker]

Where do they stash all of the walkers?

Dude that was brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOLOL

And so true..........there are SO many people here that shouldn't be driving a car but they are..........they just renew the license without a test and that's that. It's kinds scary!

Florida..........a friend of mine calls it gods waiting room. Ha!

 

[LesBaker]

I'm not paying 100$ bucks to watch the game from an end zone nose bleed seat.

This is the #1 reason fans aren't at games. $$$. And a lot of it, for a product that for the most part isn't fun to watch in person.

 

[RedRam]

Dude that was brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOLOL

Thanks. I have my moments...

.....there are SO many people here that shouldn't be driving a car but they are..........they just renew the license without a test and that's that. It's kinds scary!

I have one of "those" at my place. He thinks everybody else is the problem on the road. He's Grampa Simpson in the flesh.

Florida..........a friend of mine calls it gods waiting room. Ha!

...or maybe God's DMV...

 

[Mackeyser]

The LA area wasn't going to get a team until an owner built a stadium. The state and local govt wasn't going to do it, the people of SOCAL didn't want to fund it, and the two companies that offered to do it wouldn't do it without a guarantee that a team was coming. It was more than just the Commission..........it was an impasse.

Not true. LA was awarded the franchise that showed nakedly the preference for a team in LA. There was no firm ownership group. There were still at the time of the award at least two groups vying for the franchise.

And one of the ownership proposals was the City of Industry bid that was totally privately funded.

The CC found a way to squash it all because they wanted a way to be involved with the franchise and essentially control the situation with zero ownership, zero investment and zero contribution. It was like a 5-year-old who wants to run his classmate's household... even as he pays no bills, doesn't really like the classmate and won't put any time or effort into the household beyond demanding deference.

The impasse was having billionaires still try to work with them.

You know me how long? It literally took the CC for me to side with billionaires. That's how F'd up it was.

 

[Ramlock]

It's the POS Coliseum. You take a Lyft there and back and don't buy concessions. Set up a pickup spot a block or so away to make drop off/pick up easier. Granted, I'm not a drinker, but I'm sure people can go 3 hours without a beer or food while watching the Rams wax the Falcons.

Mrs. Ramlock and I did the Park & Ride on the LA Metro.

Parked in a deck at LaCienega, rode the train down to about 5 blocks from the Coliseum and then back after the game....seamless.

Parking and Metro total for 2 = $10

 

[LesBaker]

Not true. LA was awarded the franchise that showed nakedly the preference for a team in LA. There was no firm ownership group. There were still at the time of the award at least two groups vying for the franchise.

And one of the ownership proposals was the City of Industry bid that was totally privately funded.

The CC found a way to squash it all because they wanted a way to be involved with the franchise and essentially control the situation with zero ownership, zero investment and zero contribution. It was like a 5-year-old who wants to run his classmate's household... even as he pays no bills, doesn't really like the classmate and won't put any time or effort into the household beyond demanding deference.

The impasse was having billionaires still try to work with them.

You know me how long? It literally took the CC for me to side with billionaires. That's how F'd up it was.

We have different memories of that. I don't recall LA being anywhere near in the game for a team.

 

[RhodyRams]

Not where my seats are. I've only been able to reach another Rams fan for a high five twice this season. And I've got some decent wingspan...

maybe you should move to a different seat during the game, one around some fellow fans. There seem to be plenty of empty ones

 

[TSFH Fan]

For the history buffs out there:

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/mar/17/sports/sp-18161
League Awards L.A. an Expansion Franchise Contingent on Meeting Demands by Sept. 15
If Roski holds to his exclusivity agreement with the Coliseum, the league will go to Carson or Houston.
March 17, 1999 |T.J. SIMERS

PHOENIX — Now what?

Los Angeles has a new football team, as long as it fulfills an NFL wish list that has yet to even be dreamed up.

But before proceeding any further, this much the NFL does know: If Ed Roski holds to his two-year exclusivity arrangement with the Coliseum Commission prohibiting the NFL from dealing with anyone but him, the league will go to Carson or accept Houston's deal.

The NFL's 14-member Expansion Committee is expected to visit Los Angeles the first week of April, taking tours of Exposition Park and the Carson area while also setting up meetings with influential political and business leaders.

After that visit, the Expansion Committee will eliminate the Coliseum site or Carson. Current sentiment within the NFL heavily favors the state-owned Coliseum because it would be a Los Angeles city project and expectations are it would draw a wide range of political support and corporate sponsors because of its proximity to downtown.

For appearance's sake, the league will show interest in Carson, but if successful in convincing Roski to drop his exclusivity arrangement with the Coliseum Commission, it will allow Michael Ovitz the opportunity to withdraw the Carson site instead of voting to eliminate it.

At the same time it would set the stage for Ovitz to join the Coliseum initiative with the potential of still becoming owner of Los Angeles' new franchise.

Roski, who has played a key role in the revival of the Coliseum site, said if his exclusivity arrangement threatens to undermine the return of football, he will work out an agreement to the NFL's satisfaction.

"They haven't asked yet, but if it's that big of a concern, then sure, we won't hold them to that," Roski said. "We are not going to stand in the way to a deal being done in Los Angeles. The thing that is most important right now is local ownership of the team."

The issue, of course, is control and who will govern the process of returning football to Los Angeles. The NFL has made it clear it wants to return to Los Angeles, and now wants Los Angeles to share in its desire.

"It's Los Angeles' team to lose," said Carolina owner Jerry Richardson, chairman of the Expansion Committee. "And if we can't get it done, we will immediately go to Houston."

If the NFL wanted to go to Houston, it could have done so this week. Its problem is how to seal a deal with Los Angeles from a position of power, which becomes difficult given the city's apparently indifferent attitude toward the game's return to date.

The NFL told Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas two years ago it did not want the Coliseum to commit itself to a particular owner. Ridley-Thomas' partnership with Roski, which later included Eli Broad, however, raised interest in the Coliseum.

"I think Ed will do what is appropriate to get the deal done," Ridley-Thomas said. "He will not allow himself to be an impediment."

The NFL, already wary about having to deal with the Coliseum Commission, has yet to hear that.

Richardson, whose leadership helped gain a unanimous recommendation from the Expansion Committee for Los Angeles on Tuesday leading to a 29-2 vote in the city's favor, said the league's first order of business will be to "understand the relationship between the Coliseum, Eli Broad and Ed Roski."

"We have tried to explain as best we could, and apparently we haven't explained it very well, the [NFL owners] will select the ownership group," Richardson said in a veiled reminder to the Coliseum Commission that it will not accept a situation in which an owner is forced on the NFL.

The NFL, spending its time to get at least 24 votes and begin the process in Los Angeles, has yet to assemble its list of demands. After eliminating the Coliseum or the Carson site, the Expansion Committee will look for a rousing sign of business support in time for its May meeting in Atlanta.

Then it will get even more specific, leading to the sale of luxury suites and personal-seat licenses as a condition for final NFL approval in mid-September.

The league will probably not cast its vote for an owner before September, and more likely another meeting in October, but its efforts in the next few months will be to drum up interest in a stadium deal with the hopes of drawing a longer list of bidders to compete with Roski, Broad and Ovitz.

"That's good for Los Angeles," Roski said. "But I think after conducting such a search they will come to the realization that we offer the best solution."

NFL

What's Next

* The NFL wants L.A. to come up with a solid financing plan and one ownership group.

* During the first week in April, NFL's Expansion Committee will visit Coliseum and Carson sites and set up meetings with influential political and business leaders.

* In May, Expansion Committee will give recommendation on which site is better.

* NFL will get more specific with demands such as luxury suite and personal seat license sales as a condition to earning final approval, probably in mid-September.

By The Numbers

5

* Expansion teams since NFL-AFL merger in 1970

1,544

* Days since last pro football game in L.A.

$800M

* Most recent price paid for an established NHL franchise (Washington Redskins, 1999)

$530M

* Most recent price paid for NFL expansion franchise (Cleveland Browns, 1998)

L.A. WINDOW: The NFL gave Los Angeles six months. A1

MIKE DOWNEY, A3

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TV Ratings

How the national television ratings and the top two markets in the U.S. compare (1994 is the last year the Rams and Raiders were in the Southland): *--*

1994 ABC Fox NBC L.A. 18.5 13.4 14.2 N.Y. 14.5 14.7 15.4 National 17.8 12.1 12.5 1998 ABC Fox *CBS L.A. 15.2 10.1 9.2 N.Y. 10.7 11.6 12.6 National 13.9 10.8 10.3

*--*

* CBS took over AFC contract for 1998 season.

 

[RedRam]

maybe you should move to a different seat during the game, one around some fellow fans. There seem to be plenty of empty ones

I'm moving to the "home" side for 2018. Hopefully, two more games in my current seats. Which, BTW, are pretty nice save for the visiting team aholes...

 

[EastRam]

This is the #1 reason fans aren't at games. $$$. And a lot of it, for a product that for the most part isn't fun to watch in person.

You ever noticed that rich people are stupid?

They make most of their money from TV etc.

Why are they too stupid to see how to fill up a stadium is with low low prices to get the butts in the seats.

Then the networks can pan the FULL stadiums and show how great their product is.

Idiots.